We've got the whole world in our hands.        (Circle hands around and
We've got the whole world in our hands.          then cup together.)
We've got the whole world in our hands.
We've got the whole world in our hands.

We've got North and                      (Point to chest.)
South America in our hands.       (Point to thighs.)
We've got Europe,                         (Touch right shoulder with left hand.)
Asia,                                 (Extend left arm to the right of your shoulder.)
Africa in our hands.          (Touch right side of right thigh with left hand.)
We've got Australia and              (Touch left knee with left hand.)
Antarctica in our hands,              (Touch left foot with left hand.)
We've got the whole world in our hands.          (Cup hands together.)

Hint! The teacher will need to reverse these motions when standing in front of the children.

We've got to work together to keep it green,       (Clasp fists together and move
Protect our planet's lands and seas.                       in a circular motion in front of you.)
We can all make a difference - you know what I mean!         (Shake finger.)
We've got to help keep it green.

Come on North and South America, keep it green!            (Wave arm as if
Come on Europe, Asia, Africa, keep it green!                       motioning to come.)
Come on Australia and Antarctica, keep it green!
Let's keep our planet clean.

We've got the whole world in our hands                           (3 times)
Together we'll keep it green.

Activities:

• Show the children a globe and point out the different continents. Suggest that their body can be like the world.
          -Point to your head. That’s like the North Pole.
          -Point to your feet. That’s like the South Pole.
          -Point to your middle. That’s like the equator.
          -Point to your chest. That’s like the Tropic of Cancer. If you smoke cigarettes
                                                you might get lung cancer.
          -Point to your knee cap. That’s like the Tropic of Capricorn.

• Compare a flat map of the world with the globe. Locate various continents and oceans on the flat map.

• Put blue paper in the bottom of a plastic tub. That’s the water. Put a cup of sand on top. Challenge children to use the sand to make various land forms on the blue paper. Make card diagrams of a peninsula, island, isthmus, etc. for the children to make with the sand.

• Collect dirt samples from different areas of your school grounds. Look at the dirt with a magnifying glass. Pick out objects from the soil samples with tweezers and identify them. What is dirt made of?

• Have children write relatives in different parts of the US and ask them so send a handful of dirt from their area to your class in a zip sandwich bag. Label the bags when you receive them. Match the bags to where they come from on a map of the United States.
Note! It is illegal to bring soil from foreign countries or Hawaii into the contiguous United States.